Of course, one big issue that didn’t exist pre-baby is “what do you do with the kid when you need to run?”

Ashley over at Food ‘n Fitness Diaries has a good set of tips for running post-partum. The advice includes running on a treadmill in your home and using a jogging stroller (when the baby is old enough). But probably the best advice is to have your significant other or other family member serve as a baby sitter.

Plan your long runs when you have a babysitter.

I do my long runs over the weekend when Cody is home. This way I don’t feel rushed, and I’m confident Hunter is well taken care of. I can also do my run outdoors, which is a huge plus. Before signing up for my race, Cody and I talked about his support being crucial. I had no doubt that he would have no problem with it, but I think it’s important to communicate expectations before jumping into something like this since it can be a bigger time commitment

Having a spouse that is willing to chip in to help you find time to train is a huge bonus. If your spouse is hesitant, explain the stress-reducing effects of running and how important it is to you.

[Food 'n Fitness Diaries]

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However, people who can convince themselves to go on a daily run set themselves up for great benefits down the road. As the article points out in one of the five benefits, running can be a great natural high.

Though some questions remain, the mystery was recently solved: the runners had not been lying. A high is experienced when the endocannabinoid system is activated by the neurotransmitter anandamide. Anandamide bypasses the blood-brain barrier easily, provides pain relief, feelings of relaxation, exultation, and dilates blood vessels to make oxygen flow more easily around the body (it’s even found in chocolate).

“Running is like eating chocolate” – now that’s a great motivator. Even better, the excuse that running hurts your knees is not only untrue, but, as the article states, research suggests that running can help strengthen the knees.

Therefore, instead of searching for reasons not to run, take time to understand the true benefits of running to motivate yourself to get out the door.

[The Guardian]

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You may be saying to yourself, “Running is not supposed to hurt. It is important to take days often when I have pain.” Of course you should take days off from running if you have acute pain (i.e. achilles tendinitis, hamstring pain, etc.). With that said, there is a difference between acute pain and the “hurt” of fatigue.

Hurt Experienced by a Beginning Runner

When beginning runners are first attempting to run, making it as far as one mile can be unbearable. The person’s breathing is labored, muscles are sore, and the road to competent running seems like an impossible challenge. These runners often ask a simple question: is running supposed to hurt like this? The answer is YES – especially for beginning runners. But by sticking with your schedule and carefully building your muscles and cardiovascular system, running will start hurting a lot less. The body has an amazing ability to adapt and what may seem impossible now will be easily doable in the future.

Hurt of the Experienced Runner

After a runner has a solid mileage base, a 4-6 mile run at a steady pace is not very hard. Sure you’ll feel better some days than others, but many runners enter into a comfort zone after a few months of training. However, in order to truly realize your potential and run faster times, you have to get out of the comfort zone and make running hurt. Incorporating fartleks, tempo runs, and hill workouts into your training program will cause sore muscles, episodes of oxygen debt, fatigue, and a concern about whether running is supposed to hurt. But, as stated, pushing your body outside of its comfort zone is the only way to truly become a faster runner.

Therefore, do not give up if running feels hard for you right now – the only way to truly get better is to make it hurt.

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Just as running trains leg muscles to propel runners faster, running also trains the heart muscle, also known as the cardiac muscle, to pump blood with less effort. In order for the body run fast, the heart muscle must be able to pump oxygen-rich blood to the body’s muscles. Without an adequate supply of oxygenated blood, muscles such as the quadriceps and hamstrings will simply not have the fuel to propel the body at a fast pace. Therefore, with each training run, a runner trains the heat muscle to pump blood more efficiently.

The benefits of a stronger cardiac muscle include a lower resting heart rate because a stronger heart is able to pump a greater volume of blood per beat. Running also will assist in lower blood pressure by helping to keeping the arteries of the heart elastic. A lower heart rate and lower blood pressure are absolutely critical in keeping the heart healthy and preventing heart disease – a disease that is responsible for one out of four deaths in the U.S. per year.

While runners should take great pride in the effects that running has on strengthening their visible muscles, it is important to remember the tremendous effects that running has on an unseen muscle – the heart.

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One of the most common stories in my local running club is “How I returned from running.” The story usually begins with how the person ran during high school, or even college, and then stopped. This running break often lasts as long as 15-20 years. These runners cite all kinds of reasons for getting back into running, but the most common are health and having more energy.

If you are thinking about starting another chapter in your running career after a long break, or have already started, be sure to follow a few tips:

1. Stick With It: Running is a difficult activity. It is an especially difficult activity if you haven’t run in years. Don’t be surprised if you are out of breath just running to the end of your block; in fact, expect it. However, if you stick with your plan, you will rapidly regain your old fitness.

2. Start Slow: The worst mistake a returning runner can make is to run too much too soon. Depending how long your break has been, it is important to really be cautious. It might be a good idea to use a run/walk plan where you alternate running and walking: (run 1 minute, walk 1 minute, run 1 minute, etc.). Additionally, be sure not to increase your mileage by more than 10% each week. For example, if you run 20 miles one week, don’t run anything more than 22 mile the next week. Take a look at Dr. Pribut’s blog for a specific schedule for how to return to running.

3. Listen To Your Body: I guarantee that you will be sore and possibly get a few injuries in the first few days and weeks that you start your running. Be sure to place an ice pack on any sore muscles that develop (ice on the muscle for 10 minutes, off for 10 minutes, on for 10 minutes, off for 10 minutes). Also, if you feel any injuries coming on, do not hesitate to take a few days off to rest up. It is much better to take two or three days off then having to take weeks off to get better.

4. Set Goals: One of the best ways to keep motivated through the beginning stages of a comeback program is to have definite goals. For example, pick a race that is a few months away and structure your training to get yourself ready for that race.

5. Don’t Run Alone: Another good way to motivate yourself is to find a running partner, or to join a running group. Things will go much easier if you have other people to support you through your comeback.

6. Weight Loss: Perhaps the number one reason that many former runners make a comeback is to loose weight. I hate to break the news, but loosing weight through running can take a while. Don’t expect to shed ten pounds in the first two weeks. In fact, running might initially lead to more weight due to increased muscle. Running will no doubt improve your cardiovascular fitness, but it is not guaranteed to lead to rapid weight loss. In order to increase the chances of weight loss, combine running with strength training (free weights, push-ups, pull-ups, etc.).

7. Have Fun! Try not to take your comeback too seriously. Instead, try to enjoy the road to increased fitness and health that running will give you.

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I realize that I just had a post about minimalist/barefoot running, but there appears to be a sudden increase in the number of studies that have examined this issue. A new offers further support to the theory that overly supportive running shoes might not be the best thing for runners.

According to the Harvard study (partially funded by a minimalist shoe company), runners from Africa who grew up running barefoot land predominately on the front or middle of their feet, while runners who grew up running in supportive shoes land heel first. According to the authors, the human body experiences much less impact force if runners land on the front of their feet. It is theorized that the heel striking caused by running shoes has led to the large number of heel injuries (plantar fasciitis, etc.) that many runners suffer through.

This research is fascinating because it helps to understand how our prehistoric ancestors ran vast distances to capture prey without any modern running shoe technology. It appears that our bodies evolved to handle this running, and that ultra-cushioning and supportive running may not be needed. This topic is explored in the excellent book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.

Regardless of this interesting academic area, I still don’t think that these kinds of studies should have much of a practical effect on the running community. As I said in my previous post, I do not think that runners should suddenly dump their stability shoes. The authors themselves caution that switching to minimalist shoes too quickly will cause injuries. My view is that if you are running fine without many injuries, stay with your current shoes. If you are consistently having injury issues, then maybe consider testing a minimalist shoe, but make sure that you ease into it.

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Why has running gotten so difficult? You have been training well, taking care of your body, and tried not to over-train, but now you can barely make it out the door. You may feel irritable and lack the desire to do any form of exercise. If this situation describes you, you may be suffering from a lack of iron, which is known as anemia.

In order run, the human body must have a sufficient amount of iron. Iron plays an essential role in transporting oxygen to the body’s cells and removing carbon dioxide. Training hard requires increased production of red blood cells, which can strain the body’s iron supply and lead to anemia.

To determine if you have anemia, it is important that you have a blood test that measures the amount of hemoglobin and hematocrit in the blood. Hemoglobin is the iron-containing protein in red blood cells and hematocrit is the proportion of the blood that is occupied by red blood cells. Normally, hemoglobin and hematocrit amounts should be more than the following values (from anemia.org):

Anemia can be one of the most frustrating conditions for runners because it often takes so long to diagnose. Many times runners simply accept being extremely tired as a symptom of training hard when there is actually a medical reason behind the fatigue. The good news is that anemia can be cured quickly if you take time to see your doctor and get tested.

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